Shooting Star Starts
by summerlovin2011
Summary: After the war, Harry left Britain and went to live in Canada. Nearly five years later, his life is turned upside down when someone he never expected to see again runs into him at a restaurant. What life will Harry decide to live? Has been edited, one chapter being posted per day until complete!
1. Chapter 1

Harry sat behind the wheel of his rusty old Ford, his girlfriend in the seat next to him.

"Oh God, Harry," she whimpered, "We're gonna crash!" She slid across the seat to cling to Harry, making crashing a very real possibility.

"Move, Daisy." Harry impatiently shrugged her off. "I'm an excellent driver, and as long as I'm not distracted we will be fine."

Fortunately, the pair arrived at the restaurant in one piece. They walked in, and were quickly seated by the Maitre D'. A waitress slid over to their table within a few seconds.

"Welcome to Bella Luna," the rather busty waitress said. "I'm Marianne, and I'll be your waitress this evening. Can I get you anything to drink?"

Since it was a Muggle restaurant, Harry ordered a Scotch. Daisy got a glass of red wine, and Marianne hurried off to the bar to get their drinks.

Daisy scowled. "What was that?" When Harry gave her a confused look, she continued on. "How come every time we go out, you flirt with the waitresses? It's like I don't even matter to you!" she pouted.

Harry knew well enough by now to just let Daisy rant, and then apologize once she ran out of steam.

"Sorry honey, I didn't realize." he said smoothly.

"Sure, sure," Daisy grumbled, more resignedly than anything.

Dinner proceeded with no more jealous whining or breakdowns. The pair's plates had been whisked away and the dessert menu brought out when everything started to go downhill.

Daisy was scanning the dessert menu, grumbling about how everything was high in calories and was going to make her fat, when the restaurant suddenly went quiet and all heads turned towards the door.

A stunning red-head and a pretty brunette stood in the doorway, chatting with the Maitre D'. He quickly grabbed two menus and guided the two women towards a table near Daisy and Harry. As they passed, the brunette and Harry made eye contact, and their eyes widened with recognition.

"Harry?" she said.

"Hermione!" Harry flung himself out of his seat to embrace his former best friend. "It's so good to see you again! What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with Ron for work," she replied.

"Ron?" queried Harry incredulously.

"Oh, you didn't hear? We got married, in the summer. This trip is also part of our honeymoon."

"Hermione, that's fantastic!" Harry exclaimed, hugging her again. "Congratulations! I didn't think he'd ever have the courage to ask you out, let alone ask you to marry him!"

"I know right?" laughed Hermione. "But he did! He's here on business for a few weeks. I didn't want to stay home alone, and I felt that going to the Burrow would be such a hassle for poor Mum, so I came here instead! We're also going to sight-see of course. And then Ginny came along for company…"

Here, the gorgeous red head stepped forward. Harry could only stare, rooted to the spot, all of his best memories from his teen years swirling through his mind.

"Hiya Harry," she said shyly.

"Excuse me," a shrill voice interjected, "But it's late and we must be going!" Daisy grabbed hold of one of Harry's arms, her fake nails threatening to cut through the fabric of Harry's expensive jacket, and dragged him out of Bella Luna, barely giving him enough time to extract the bills from his wallet to pay for dinner.

oOo

Unsurprisingly, Daisy was angry.

"Harry, what was that? See, you just proved what I've been suspecting for months! You don't care about me at all do you? Flirting with the waitress, and then you have the nerve to hit on those two British girls, even though I have specifically asked you not to! What is wrong with you Harry? I have shown you that I would do anything, ANYTHING to be with you, but then you go and do things like THAT! And that's only what you did while I was watching! Who knows what you do when I'm at home, thinking of you!"

Harry pulled up into the driveway of Daisy's house.

"Get out Daisy."

She sat, shocked, for a second, then shook herself and stumbled out of the car.

"Fine. If you don't want to work it out, I don't even care. Goodbye Harry James Potter, we're through." And with that, Daisy slammed the door and marched up the front steps to her house, using a shiny key to unlock the door.

Harry sighed and pulled out of the driveway onto the street. It was bad while she was yelling but now he was more relieved than anything. For the first time he knew exactly how Ron had felt when he and Lavender broke up in their sixth year at Hogwarts and Harry felt renewed sympathy towards his former best friend.

Pulling onto the highway, Harry sighed. He had sought refuge in the muggle world after the war and his falling out with most of the magical community but he hadn't realized how lonely he really was. Dating muggle girls wasn't an effective way to solve the loneliness. He couldn't tell them the truth about himself so the usual cycle was three dates and then on to the next girl. As time had gone by the choices had gotten worse and worse, ending with the jealous bimbo he had just left crying on her front porch. Ironically, she had been his longest relationship since his teen years.

His choices hadn't always been bad. Sure, Cho turned out to be a basket case, emitted to the psych ward at St. Mungos after a rather spirited argument with a garbage can, but Ginny…

Harry stopped his thoughts right there. Ginny was his past. He had to accept it after all these years and just move on.

The problem was it was easier said than done.

Harry had been trying to chase Ginny out of his mind for over four years now and he just couldn't do it. Maybe because she had been everything but his first kiss. Maybe because they were meant to be. Maybe because she had taken root in his mind and now the roots had gone too deep. Harry didn't know. All he knew for sure was that he would never be as happy with someone else as he was with her.

And then, he had gotten one glorious glimpse of her tonight. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. And she still looked at him the same way, like he was her best friend and confidante.

But regardless, what happened after the war had happened. There was no getting away from it. Harry and Ginny were over and no amount of magic or fate could change that.

Harry turned left and pulled into his own driveway. His house loomed above him, looking every inch as empty as it really was. Harry turned off the ignition and stepped out into the frigid night air.

So much had changed for him. He lived in a country across the seas, away from every horror that had plagued him from his childhood. Hermione was married to Ron. His best friends were no longer even acquaintances to him. And he had given up a magical lifestyle. He had lied to so many people that he barely knew who he really was. And, worst of all, his life was devoid of love because he had thrown it all away.

Regret filled the great Harry Potter as he stood and stared up at the stars. As quick flash passed through the sky; a shooting star. Even though Harry knew it was just a rock, burning up as it entered Earth's atmosphere, he closed his eyes tightly and made a wish anyway.

Across town, a certain fiery haired girl saw the same shooting star, and made the same wish.

_I wish she would give me one more chance. _

_I wish he would give me one more chance._


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Harry dragged himself out of bed and made himself a pot of tea. He had never been a morning person and that ,combined with the fact that he had been up half the night thinking about Ginny and Daisy and his poor life choices, made him a total bear on this particular morning.

Harry sipped his tea and stared moodily out of his kitchen window. He couldn't stop thinking, especially about Ginny. He had to admit, if only to himself, he missed her. After all this time, he still missed her.

Harry thought back to the day he left…

_Ginny was sitting on the front porch of the Burrow, immersed in the newest Witch Weekly. She frowned as she read an article, a deep crease appearing in between her eyebrows._

"_Harry," she called, "Can you come here for a second?"_

_Harry strolled over to her and planted a sloppy kiss on her forehead. "Yes love?"_

"_What in the name of Merlin's pants is this?" asked Ginny, her rage barely contained under her calm façade. She shoved the magazine at him and crossed her arms, waiting for an explanation._

_Harry stared at the picture. It showed two people walking out of a fancy restaurant. His hand was in her back pocket, and he was pressing a kiss to her temple. Her hands were wrapped around his waist, and she was smiling and giggling. As Harry watched, she slipped her hand down the front of the man's pants, and he looked appropriately shocked. The caption read, 'Harry Potter (disguised) on a romantic date… without his girlfriend!'_

_Harry knew exactly where this picture had been taken. He and Ginny had wanted to go out for a nice dinner together but without the media following them around the whole night so they disguised themselves. Ginny had seen her ex, Dean Thomas, who was apparently still bitter and after a huge argument with him she had consumed too much wine. Harry remembered dragging a drunken Ginny out of the restaurant, her eagerness to get him home barely contained._

_Harry grinned. "Ginny, you don't remember this? This was the night we went to The Globe Restaurant and Inn. Dean was there and you fought and then you got completely wasted. Remember? You are very horny when you're drunk apparently, because we didn't even make it home," he added with a wink, thinking back to the storage cupboard at the bus station._

"_Harry James Potter, I would remember something like that! You've been sneaking around my back haven't you?" Ginny shrieked._

_Harry looked at her with confusion. "Ginny, what is this really about? You know I would never do that!"_

_But Ginny wasn't finished yet, not by a long shot. "Harry! Don't lie to me! I know you've been going out with people behind my back! Every week there's a new article about you going out somewhere with someone else! You've been going out with Parvati Patil, don't deny it! I saw a picture of you guys just last week going into a jewellery store in London!"_

_Harry was starting to get angry. He fingered the velvet box in his pocket, thinking back to the day he had asked Parvati to help him pick out an engagement ring… for Ginny._

"_Ginny, what are you trying to say?" he asked coldly._

"_Harry Potter, I just can't do this anymore. It's too much. I have to be able to trust you and I don't. Until that changes, we're through. Drop me a line when you want to be faithful." She said every syllable in a voice that could freeze water before turning on her heel and walking away._

"_Wait! Ginny!" Harry called, chasing after her. "I have to ask you something!"_

_Ginny turned around, her face cold. "What, Potter?"_

_Harry took the ring out of his pocket, knelt down, and said, "Ginny Weasley, I love you, and only you. Please, will you marry me, and stay with me forever?"_

"_No Potter! What is this, some sick game to you? You think that by whipping out diamonds you can get me crawling back to you? No! Now get off my property before I sic my brothers on you!" She turned on her heel, wiping away tears, and stomped away._

Harry sighed. He had left for Canada the next day. He had been a coward, and instead of trying to work things out he had left. The only thing tying him to the magical world had been her. She was the reason he was staying in Britain and without her there was no point. The magical world hated him for all the damage he had caused during the war, regardless of him killing the most dangerous wizard in history, and Harry felt no reason to stay. So that night he had gone home, packed his bags, and was gone the next morning without a word to anyone.

Now Harry looked back and saw that he wasn't a hero, or brave, or anything else the rest of the wizarding world thought him to be. He was merely a coward.

Harry tore his gaze away from the window, and rinsed his tea mug out in the sink. He couldn't dwell on the past.

"What's done is done. I can't go back and change it," Harry told himself firmly.

Harry glanced at the clock. 10:00. He continued to scrub a dirty plate clean until he realized, "I'm gonna be late for work!"

The plate fell into the sink with a crash and a wave of soapy water. Harry grabbed his briefcase and ran out the door, not bothering to lock it behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

"_Oh my God, Hermione, can you believe it?" Ginny cries as she and Hermione walk out of the restaurant. Hermione is laughing, and the tears are streaming down both of their faces. They laugh until they have stitches in their sides and calm down just enough to hail a taxi._

"_I know Ginny! He's dating THAT? What happened to him? And then her storming out of the restaurant, did you see her face?" Hermione erupts into giggles once again and Ginny is not far behind her. The taxi driver gives the two girls a frightened glance in his rear-view mirror, and Ginny juvenilely sticks her tongue out at him…_

Sitting in Ron and Hermione's apartment, in her tiny little room, Ginny thinks back to that night and chuckles to herself.

The girls had just left Bella Luna after having a quick drink at the bar. Seeing Harry had been a nice surprise for them but seeing his girlfriend… well, that wasn't. But it was nice to see that Harry wasn't interested in the bimbo at all, especially after her little fit of jealousy. It was obvious that he wasn't really into her, but the thought that had been nagging Ginny ever since was whether he had ever been with anyone like he had been with her.

The thought made Ginny's stomach tighten, and she pushed it out of her mind. It didn't matter. They were over and had been for ages. That was all there was to it. If he wanted to date some jealous blond hag, all the best to him.

Okay, so maybe she was a little jealous.

Which is not like her at all. She had never felt like this. Not when Dean cheated on her with Lavender Brown (who was dating Ron at the time), not when Hermione started to hang out more with Ron (and his tongue) than she did with Ginny, not even when Cho and Harry went out!

Ginny sighed in frustration and flopped back onto her bed. What she really needed was a coffee, and something super fattening to make her feel better. Ice cream was sounding like an extremely good idea...

Ginny sat back up, getting an idea.

Ron and Hermione had gone out for the day to sightsee. Hermione had mentioned a lot of places she wanted to go, all letters, and Ron had agreed. He was such a pushover when it came to her. It was kind of sweet really.

So Ginny was all alone in this city they were staying in. Might as well go exploring!

Ginny pulled on her shoes and grabbed her bag. Using her wand to lock the door, Ginny walked out onto the busy streets of Toronto.

The first thing that assaulted her was the sounds. It was so noisy! Nothing like Ottery St. Catchpole. The second thing she noticed was a wonderful smell coming from somewhere on her right.

Ginny followed her nose to the source. It was coming from a big silver cart with a red and white umbrella over the top. The man behind the cart smiled. "Hey sugar, you want anything?" he asked politely.

Ginny looked at the sign. Apparently whatever he was selling was called a hot dog. It sounded disgusting but she was hungry and something that smelled that good couldn't taste too bad, right?

"One, please," Ginny replies confidently. The man puts a stick of meat in a bun and hands it to her.

"You want a drink?" he asks.

Ginny doesn't see any butterbeer but she does notice a can of soda that Harry had forced her to try years ago and she had ended up liking.

"A can of ginger ale please."

The man hands her the soda and in return she gives him a blue bill with a man's face on it.

"Keep the change," she says with a smile, mostly because she has no idea how muggle money works, let alone foreign muggle money.

Ginny walks down the street a little ways and stops at a nice park. She sits down on a bench and eats her lunch. The hot dog is as good as it smells and it is devoured in seconds. Just as Ginny folds up the wrapper, someone behind her says, "Now, most girls I know would have never eaten that."

Ginny whips around and sees a dark haired man in a suit smiling at her. The grin is vaguely familiar…

"Harry?"

"Hey Ginny," he says, "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," she replies, surprised to see him. "Why are you here?"

"I work around the block," Harry replies with a jerk of his thumb. "I come here for lunch almost every day. There's a great falafel shop just around the corner." He reaches into his briefcase and pulls out something wrapped in foil. "Here, you should try it."

Ginny unwraps a corner and tries to tear off a piece.

"Um, Ginny, you can bite it you know," Harry teases.

She scowls but it soon turns to a look of shock when she takes a bite out of whatever is in the wrapper.

"Wow, Harry! That's fantastic!" Ginny exclaims.

"I know, isn't it?" he laughs. "God, you're the only girl I know who actually eats. Most of the girls I've met won't even take a bite if it isn't low fat, fat free, blah blah blah."

"Well, I'm a pig, what can I say?" the red-head jokes.

"I always thought it was cute."

Ginny freezes. Did he really just say that? Harry must realize it too because he turns red and then changes the subject.

"So, Ginny, how long are you guys here for?"

"Oh, two more weeks I think. Ron's been here working with the Canadian Ministry on some project or another for international sports rules," she explains.

"You guys should come over to my house for dinner one night, I've gotten to be an excellent cook," he offers.

Ginny raises one eyebrow. Harry couldn't cook worth anything when they lived together, a fact Ginny has obviously not forgotten.

"It's true! Come over and I'll prove it to you!" he says.

"Alright," she promises. "I'll ask Ron and Hermione and then I'll owl you a day."

"Here, just call me." Harry digs around in his briefcase for a minute, and pulls out a small card with his name, address, and phellytone number on it. "Hermione will know how to work the phone," he says. "Just get her to call me."

"Alright, sounds like a date." Apparently it is Ginny's turn to say something uncomfortable.

"Well, anyway," Harry says, ignoring her inappropriate comment, "I have to get back to work. If I'm late twice in one day the boss will kill me. I'll talk to you later Ginny." He packs up his stuff and walks away, leaving his falafel still in Ginny's hand, only one bite taken out.

Ginny stands up and starts to walk back to the empty apartment. Dinner with Harry. It's been so long, it will be nice for them to catch up, and for him to see his two best friends again. Strolling up the street Ginny barely registers the colourful shop windows around her. She is too happy. Between the food and the people she's really beginning to enjoy Canada. Ginny takes another bite out of the falafel as she walks along in a fog of food- and Harry-induced happiness. She finishes off Harry's lunch and chucks the wrapper in a bin. Then she heads home to give to good news to Ron and Hermione.


	4. Chapter 4

The night of the dinner came too quickly for both Harry and Ginny's liking but both still managed to have plenty of time to get nervous. They had good reason to be! Neither had talked to each other at all over the past few years and only had one small conversation that day in the park. Both were worried about the same things. What if they didn't have anything in common anymore? Ginny was more worried about the company. What if she had a return to her third wheel days and Harry talked to Hermione and Ron but not her?

What if he invited Daisy?

Needless to say, Ginny was suitably shaking when the time came to get dressed. Hermione was dressing up, so Ginny followed suit. She pulled her hair up into a low side bun, curling a few strands around her face. She put on a knee-length emerald sun dress and a pair of white wedge sandals. Once Hermione had deemed her presentable, Ginny stepped out into the alley and apparated to Harry's house.

She waited at the edge of the pathway leading up to the house for Ron and Hermione. Once they arrived, Ginny bravely walked up to the door and rang the bell.

She could hear Harry walking down the stairs and her heart started racing. Her palms were sweaty and she tried to discretely wipe them on her dress. Hermione and Ron came to stand beside her and Hermione gave Ginny's clammy hand an encouraging squeeze. The door opened and a beaming Harry greeted the trio.

"Hey guys! I've missed you all so much!" He gave Hermione a quick peck on the check and a hug, and gave Ron a nice big bro-hug ('Men,' Ginny thought to herself with a shake of her head).

"And Ginny, lovely to see you again, as always," he says with a twinkle in his eyes, stepping forward to wrap his ex-girlfriend in a hug that lifts her off her feet. Over his shoulder Ginny sees Hermione smile and Ron managing a grimace. Ginny rolls her eyes at him.

"Nice to see you too Harry," she says, a bit breathless from how tightly he is holding her. Harry sets her down, pecking her on the cheek, but keeps a hand on her right shoulder, a gesture Ginny remembers from their Hogwarts days.

"It's so good to see you all, it's been way too long," he beams. "Come inside, I'll show you around."

With his hand still on Ginny's shoulder he guides everyone into the foyer. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny remove their shoes and then Harry takes them on the grand tour of his home.

The first thing Ginny notices is how sparse everything is. It looks like a show home, not like the home of a rather famous wizard. It doesn't even look like anyone lives there.

There are no pictures anywhere. The living room has a large piano, a couch, a loveseat, and a rocking chair, but that's it. No pictures on the mantle above the fireplace, no paintings on the walls, not even a pot of floo powder! It seems very bare and plain and Ginny wonders if this room has ever been used.

The dining room isn't much better. There's a large rectangular table and a china cabinet, all sitting on an elegant vintage carpet, but again, no personal touches.

The whole bottom floor is like this except for the kitchen. The kitchen is painted a burnt orange colour and when the sun is setting, as it is now, the whole place seems to glow due to the huge solarium on one wall. There are colourful cooking utensils everywhere and shiny pots and pans line the walls. There's a small mahogany table with matching chairs, large enough to sit six people, and a small tee-vee against one wall. This room seems the homiest out of all the ones Ginny has seen so far, and she instinctively knows that Harry would prefer to spend the majority of his time here.

"That's all really, the upstairs isn't that interesting. I've got dinner in the oven and it should be done soon. Would you like to sit in the living room, maybe we could catch up on all those years we missed?" Harry chuckles wryly at his own words.

"Sounds great, Harry," says Hermione. "You have such a beautiful home Harry; you are a very lucky man."

Harry gets a funny look on his face and his eyes don't seem to be seeing what he is looking at.

"Yes, I suppose so Hermione. Come on, this way," he says distantly.

He leads everyone into the living room and Hermione sits in the rocking chair. Ron takes the loveseat, which means Harry and Ginny have to sit on the couch. Together. Harry flops down and puts his feet on a coffee table.

"You gonna stand all night Ginny or are you going to take a seat?" he teases.

"Hmph." She sticks her nose in the air and asks, "Harry, where is the bathroom?"

"Upstairs, second door."

"Thank you," Ginny replies stiffly, and makes her way upstairs.

The upstairs seems just as boring as the rest of the house. Again, there are no pictures on the walls, no personal touches anywhere.

Ginny soon notices that Harry didn't tell her whether the bathroom is the second door to the left or the second door to the right. After a small debate, she picks the right.

Ginny opens the door slowly and immediately realizes this is not the bathroom. A huge bed is the dominating feature, something a bathroom would be lacking. She knows she should turn around and find the bathroom, closing the door behind her and pretending she was never there but of course, Ginny was a Gryffindor, so her curiosity takes over and she steps farther into the room.

There is a huge bed with an emerald duvet pushed up against one wall. A small nightstand with a white lamp is beside it. Ginny realizes that although it is a bedroom this room still doesn't really feel personal in any way.

There's a large wooden door on the wall opposite of the bed, and Ginny tries the knob. Locked. She knows she should walk away right there but she lets her curiosity control her. Pulling out her wand, Ginny points it at the lock and whispers, "Alohomora."

The lock clicks and she steps inside the room…


	5. Chapter 5

The door opened without a sound and the sight that greeted the entrant was shocking.

Every inch of wall space was covered in pictures. Of everyone Harry had ever become acquainted with.

There was a large portrait of Dumbledore on one wall, and one of Professor McGonagall beside him. There were thousands of pictures too. One wall seemed to be dedicated to people who died in the war. There were his parents, Remus, Tonks, Sirius, Fred, Colin Creevey, and Dobby, as well as others Ginny didn't recognize right away.

Another wall was pictures of friends. Luna, Ron, Hermione, and all sorts of pictures from Harry's summers at the Burrow. Ginny didn't see any of her but she didn't expect to. Still, she can't help but feel slightly disappointed.

The wall behind Ginny, where the door is centered, is the only wall that is completely bare. Not a single picture anywhere. Instead, there are large bookshelves filled with old textbooks, novels, Muggle books, Wizarding books, and the occasional photo album.

The whole room is vaguely disturbing, what with all the sleeping portraits and moving pictures. Ginny carefully takes a step back into Harry's bedroom and closes the door, re-locking it behind her.

Just as Ginny is leaving she notices a small silver frame beside Harry's bed. Curious as to what picture is so important that he keeps it somewhere other than the huge picture room, she creeps closer and takes a look.

What lies in the frame shocks Ginny.

It's her.

This picture was taken in her Hogwarts days, she remembers Colin Creevey taking it. Harry and Ginny are wearing their school robes and standing by the lake. The squid is floating lazily in the background, tentacles waving slowly in the air.

Ginny remembers this day so well.

"_Harry!" Ginny whines as Harry moves underneath her. She had just gotten her head in a very comfortable position on his chest._

"_Sorry Ginny, I was just thinking…"_

"_About what?"_

"_Well, I was just thinking, if I had realized everything sooner we could have had so much more time together."_

_Ginny pauses for a second. "Ya, but I would have missed out on so much other stuff," she says, trying to keep her voice under control._

"_Like…?" Harry asks._

"_Well, I wouldn't have gone to the Yule Ball with Neville for one thing," she giggles._

_Harry laughs. "True. But maybe you would have gone with me instead."_

"_Maybe, but it's your own fault Potter. You had your head in the sand all those years."_

"_Well, I don't now," he states, pressing a kiss to the red-haired girl's forehead. _

_Ginny tries to settle back into Harry's chest but he moves again._

"_Harry!" she whines as he stands up._

"_Come on Ginny," he says, offering her his hand. Ginny takes it and hauls herself onto her feet. Instead of letting go as she expected, Harry pulls Ginny in closer and puts her other arm around his neck. His hand goes to her waist, drawing her in closer._

"_Potter, what are you doing?" Ginny asks warily._

"_I am dancing with you."_

_And they are. Harry is twirling them around the lawn in a surprisingly graceful waltz._

"_I thought you couldn't dance Potter?" _

"_I've been practicing," he replies simply._

_Although there was no real music, the couple danced to the sound of the wind in the trees and the waves lapping against the shore of the lake. Suddenly, Harry dips Ginny backward._

"_Having fun?" he asks with a smile._

"_Yes, I am," Ginny says, pressing a hard kiss to his lips._

_That was when Colin snapped the picture. He had given it to Harry the day school let out, on the train ride home. Ginny had really wanted to keep it, but since Harry and her had just broken up they weren't really talking much…_

Ginny is amazed that Harry still has the picture after all these years. It is in perfect condition, obviously preserved magically.

What strikes her most is how happy they both look. Ginny knows for sure that she hasn't been that happy in years and she doubts Harry has either.

The picture disturbs her somehow and Ginny leaves the room quickly. She goes into the bathroom and splashes some cold water on her face. She checks her hair and makeup and, when she is sure that she doesn't look out of the ordinary, she heads back downstairs. It seems like hours to Ginny but she has really only been gone for about five minutes.

"Hey Ginny, you find it okay?" asks Harry when Ginny re-enters the living room.

"What?" she asks stupidly before getting a hold of herself. "Oh, yes I did. I like your soap dispenser."

Ginny pulls out the piano bench, and sits down on it. She can't even look Harry in the eye. Luckily no one notices, and the Golden Trio goes back to their conversation.

This is going to be a long night, Ginny thinks to herself.


	6. Chapter 6

Dinner was going swimmingly. If you asked Ginny, that is.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had chattered inanely in the living room until a ding sounded from within the kitchen.

"Sounds like dinner is ready guys, let's go eat," said Harry, and he lead them to the kitchen where a divine smell was wafting out of the oven.

Now, two hours later, the party is in full swing. Harry made a lovely homemade lasagne with Caesar salad and cheesy garlic bread. Predictably, Ron dug in with his usual gusto and Harry poured the wine while talking to a smiling Hermione.

Ginny realized that the awkwardness she now felt around Harry was not going to go away on its own, so she decided to take matters into her own hands. Or glass in this case.

Two hours and eight glasses of wine later…

"Hey Harry," Ginny slurred, "Do you remember when we went to the village to get mum some milk, and she had to send Ron to find us cuz we were taking so long? Do ya remember? Ron found us on the hill! I think he needed therapy after seeing THAT one!"

Ginny's drunken behaviour was passing disorderly and moving quickly into inappropriate. Ron was looking horrified, like he was re-living some horrible past experience (which he probably was. Seeing your best friend and little sister naked together can do that). Hermione looked disapproving and Harry just looked… well, actually, he looked vaguely amused.

Unfortunately, Ginny couldn't seem to stop herself.

"Come here lover boy," she slurred, plonking down onto Harry's lap. "Let's show Ron what it was really like, before he intruded."

"GINNY!" thundered Hermione.

Harry chuckled and gently guided Ginny back to her seat before she could cause any serious damage.

"Well guys, looks like Ginny won't be apparating home tonight. Are you guys alright to go home?"

Ron nodded, looking a little green, and Hermione glowered in agreement.

"Okay then. Ginny, stay here, I'm going to say goodbye to Ron and Hermione and I'll be back in a second to deal with you." Here he let a small frown cross his lips.

"Are you sure about this Harry?" Hermione asks Harry as they walk down the hallway to the front door.

It was around that time that the alcohol really got to Ginny and she passed out face-first on the kitchen table without hearing Harry's reply...

oOo

Ginny's first thought upon waking was that her head was going to explode. It felt like it had been run over by a hippogriff and then been pecked at by Errol for a few hours.

Then Ginny became acutely aware that someone was petting her. More specifically her hair. Ginny opened her eyes, turning over quickly and setting her head pounding violently and the room spinning.

"Whoa, careful Ginny."

She froze.

This wasn't her room, but she knew exactly whose it was. Green duvet, white lamp, bare walls…

"Harry! What am I doing in your bed?!" Ginny screeches, sitting up so fast she feels nauseous.

"Well, you were sleeping…" he says. "Now, you're awake and screeching, plus you look like you might throw up on my blankets."

This prediction turned out to be nearly spot on. Not five seconds after Harry finished talking Ginny vomited over the edge of the high bed.

Harry vanishes it with a flick of his wand, paying it no mind.

"Since when have you been so comfortable with vomit?" Ginny groans, remembering when she had been sick several summers ago at the Burrow. That time Harry had barely been able to sit by her bed for five minutes before he had to rush out of the room, stumbling and gagging from the proclamation that Ginny was merely feeling nauseous.

"You get used to it when you're constantly holding back you're dates hair while they throw up the massive amounts of alcohol they had before, during, and after dinner," he says wryly, more as a statement of fact than anything.

Ginny ponders this but when the thinking makes her alcohol-soaked brain hurt she gives up. Ginny leans back against the half-dozen fluffy pillows behind her and closes her eyes.

Suddenly, a terrible gut feeling makes her open her eyes with a snap.

"Harry," Ginny asks apprehensively, "What exactly happened last night…?"

To her mortification and curiosity Harry's cheeks turn a bright scarlet and he refuses to meet her eyes.

"Oh, nothing really," he says.

Ginny knows him much better than this however, and she instinctively knows something is amiss.

"Harry…" Ginny says warningly.

He avoids Ginny's stern look (which is rapidly increasing her headache).

"Harry, I know you much better than that, you can't fool me with your avoidance," Ginny snaps, getting frustrated with his untruthfulness.

Harry turns to her then, a hard look in his eyes.

"I'm not trying to fool you Ginny. I was hoping you would just let it go," he retorts, equally annoyed.

"Why would I let it go? It's obvious you're hiding something from me, and I want to know what it is." Ginny uses her most forceful tone on him, remembering how it made him break back when they were together. Obviously time hasn't changed much because something snaps behind his eyes and he turns to face her with a look somewhere between a snarl and a grimace.

"Fine Ginny," he starts in a low voice that is both reluctant and deadly, "Do you want to know what happened? Do you really want to remember it? Because I sure wish I could forget."

After a short stare down, Harry breaks eye contact and looks down at the floor.

"Fine," he says bitterly, "Your choice…"

**A/N**

**This is being posted early because I got over 500 views! Please don't forget to review thought :)**

**P.S. The milk story is a one-shot of mine if you want to read it. It's called _Beginning Life with a Wish._**

**~summerlovin'**


	7. Chapter 7

A/N

This whole chapter is a flashback from Harry' point of view

~summerlovin'

"Okay Ginny, time for bed," I say, hauling the inebriated girl to her feet. I had waved off a worried Ron and a furious Hermione at the front door and I was sure they were safely back at their apartment by now. What a way to spend their honeymoon; with the groom's little sister. They might as well have one night to themselves without having to worry about the thinness of the walls. "Although," I thought to myself, "With the rage Hermione's in, it isn't likely to be as enjoyable as that."

Ginny slumped against my shoulder as I attempted to drag her to the spare bedroom. We barely even got to the living room before I decided to change my tactic.

"New plan Gin, come on, up you go." I haul her up into my arms and carry her instead of dragging her.

Feather light, I manage to get her to the stairs. I am still in fairly good training from my Quidditch days and that combined with her small stature made me feel as though Ginny weighed barely anything.

However, it wasn't my lack of physical fitness that stopped me at the foot of the stairs. It was because at that moment Ginny decided to stir slightly, just enough to wind her arms around my shoulders and press her face into the crook of my neck.

I stopped cold.

This was all too familiar of the days when we would stay up all night at the Burrow. We would talk for hours, occasionally stopping to kiss or explore each other but always coming back to talk about one thing or another. Inevitably, she would start to yawn and I would insist that she go to bed and that I would still be there in the morning. She, being herself, would refuse vehemently and I would shrug and say, "Suit yourself." Less than an hour later she would be curled up in my arms or by my side in that stage of sleep that borders on dreaming, when you can't tell the different between what you are dreaming and what is real. I would pick her up in my arms and she would settle against me, burrowing as close as she could as though she was trying to get under my skin.

What she didn't know back then is that she already was.

I would carry her up to her room and kiss her on the forehead, hoping so much that she would have happy dreams that would come true for her during the daylight hours.

Standing at the base of the stairs I flashed back to those days, and realized just how much I missed it. The intimacy, the closeness, the connection between us. I hadn't had that in so long, and I realized now how much I craved it.

I shook myself. I was being silly. And anyway, I needed to get Ginny upstairs so she could sleep off the wine. She would have a wicked hangover in the morning but by then Hermione may have calmed down enough towards her to give her a hangover potion.

Maybe. I wouldn't count on it if I were Ginny.

I carry Ginny up the stairs towards the spare room but before we can get there I feel her say against my neck, "No."

I look down at her. Her eyes are partially opened and she shifts her head to look at me out of one.

"No," she mumbles, "I wanna sleep with you."

I realize how bad this situation could end up, especially if I look further into her words, but I really don't care. The (unfortunately inebriated) love of my life is asking me to stay the night. In what universe was I going to reject the opportunity?

I change my course and turn instead towards my bedroom door. I give it a slight nudge with my foot to make it swing open. I walk slowly to my bed and pull back the emerald duvet. I lay Ginny down on the sheets and pull the duvet up to her chin. She smiles up at me and I kiss her on the forehead, proof that old habits die hard.

"Aren't you coming?" she asks me.

I don't even think it over.

"Ya, I'll be there in a sec Gin," I say, and smile down at her.

My promise makes her relax and she closes her eyes as she snuggles deeper into the mattress.

"Okay," she murmurs from somewhere under the covers.

I walk into the adjoining bathroom and brace myself against the sink. I take deep breaths to calm myself down and splash some cold water on my face.

And this is how badly I'm freaking out before I realize that I have always slept in just my shorts.

I don't own pyjamas.

Or a ratty old t-shirt.

I'm so screwed.

"Harry?"

Ginny is calling pathetically from the bedroom and I feel a tug in my chest: I have to go to her.

"One sec Ginny, I'm coming."

I strip off my shirt and pants from dinner this evening and fold them neatly on the counter beside my sink. I meticulously brush my teeth and make sure my stubble isn't too bad. I take in a deep breath for courage and step back into the bedroom.

Ginny is sitting up on my bed. Her dress is on the floor.

She is sitting in her bra and knickers with her legs tucked to the side. She is leaning on one arm, her head propped up on her hand. Her other arm is resting on the smooth flesh of her thigh.

I gulp, painfully aware of the thin cotton of my shorts.

"What took you so long?" Her tone is innocent, just a simple inquiry. It's the voice I remember from all those years ago. Ginny isn't one to put on a seductive voice, or role-play, but just her own voice can have the effect of both on me.

I gulp again, lost for words.

"Just had to brush my teeth," I manage to squeak out, my voice several octaves higher than usual.

"Well, come on then," Ginny says, and does something I have never seen her do before.

She crooks her finger at me, beckoning me forward.

Being the puppet I am around her I obey, slowly walking towards her as if I'm transfixed.

The frame of my bed is quite high so when Ginny kneels in front of me we are almost the same height. I stare at her, in a trance, and she stares straight into my soul. For a good ten minutes, neither of us moves.

Then suddenly Ginny pounces forward. She grabs my face between her hands and what sounds like a growl escapes her lips, just before she is crushing her lips to mine.

This kiss is all teeth and nails and an incredibly nice feeling of pain. It is five years worth of sexual frustration poured into the most intense kiss I have ever experienced.

It seems like Ginny will never come up for oxygen but when she does it is with a noise like a suction cup. She gasps in air, never releasing her hands from my hair, where they moved after the first few minutes of kissing. She arches her neck backwards and I can see the pearly skin of her throat.

I can't help myself. Before my brain is even capable of rational thought I am kissing her neck, chest, shoulders, and any other part of her I can reach. I am not being careful by any means, leaving trails of hickies that Ron would kill me for if he sees them. Ginny is gripping my hair, arching her back now, and moaning softly.

I realize that this is as intimate as I have gotten with anyone since breaking up with her five years ago.

Explains a lot doesn't it?

I run my trail of kisses down the middle of Ginny's sternum, trailing slowly down to her bellybutton. There are purple bruises all over her skin but I am too far gone to even see them.

I softly nuzzle the soft, sensitive skin of her abdomen and then begin to work my way back up. As great as it is a small part of me is curious to see what will happen if I am a tease and force Ginny take the lead.

Boy, am I rewarded for it.

Ginny, obviously disappointed that I started to move back upward, curls into me. She unfists her hands from my hair and plants them on my shoulders, pushing herself up so she is standing. With a grace that shouldn't occur with drunk people she hops down from the bed and stands in front of me, looking seductive and dangerous.

Now I'm the one pushed up against the mattress.

She saunters forward slightly, just enough to have me fully pressed up against the bed, unable to move. The height difference has me looking down into her eyes and I see a ferocity and hunger in them I have never seen before.

Before I can even react her hand is slipping under the band of my shorts.

My eyes widen and Ginny grins. She is doing all manner of things to me and yet still manages to stand up on her tip toes and kiss me with a searing passion that leaves my already breathless state gasping for air. I return the kiss with as much enthusiasm as I can manage under the circumstances, my tongue dancing with hers.

I feel her grin against my lips, a devilish grin that can only mean one thing: she has a plan, and I am going to be dead by the time it is executed.

By the time she has gotten off her knees, my prediction has come true.

I am shaking all over. I am weak in the knees and my legs and arms feel like wet noodles. The only reason I am still standing is because of the bed behind me.

And still she isn't done with me.

Ginny knocks me onto my back on the bed and clambers up too, straddling my hips and waist. She sits on what would be considered my lap and starts to move in the most enticing ways.

I can't help myself. I lunge forward, pulling her down towards me and roll her onto her back. I unsnap her bra and she moans under my desperate touches. I bury my face in her skin as I finally give in to what I have wanted to do since the night I saw her at the restaurant.


	8. Chapter 8

Ginny sat on the bed, stunned. What Harry had told her had managed to render her both speechless and motionless, two things she rarely ever was. A million questions bubble to Ginny's lips but she could only choke out one.

"How mad are you at me?"

Harry's head snaps up and he finally looks Ginny in the eyes. Instead of looking angry he looks worried and utterly confused.

"Mad?" he asks. "Why on earth would I be mad? You should be mad at me!"

Now it's Ginny's turn to be confused. "What on earth do you mean? Why should I be mad?" Ginny realizes they have basically said the same thing to each other but she is completely speechless and can't think of anything else to say.

"Ginny, you were drunk. Wasted out of your mind. And I took advantage of you. I'm pretty sure in most countries that's considered wrong, and morally I feel horrible about it." He sinks down beside her on the bed, burying his head in his hands.

Ginny swings her legs to the side so she is sitting upright beside Harry. She rests her head on his shoulder and wraps her arm around his waist.

"Don't blame yourself Harry, it was my fault. I shouldn't have drunk so much at dinner. And I want you to know, if I remembered any of it, I wouldn't regret it." This makes him raise his head from his hands and give Ginny a quizzical look. "Not for a second," she whispers, staring straight into his eyes.

"If you aren't mad at me, then I want you to know, I'm not mad at you either. I never was really." This makes Ginny scoff.

"Really Ginny, what reason would I have to ever be mad at you? Let alone for this?"

"Because!" She explodes. "You invite me to your house; I snoop around, feel so guilty I drink an entire bottle of wine by myself, seduce you, and then throw up on your carpet!"

"Wait, you did what?"

Ginny stops cold. She had forgotten that he didn't know about her finding the portrait room.

"Ginny, tell me. I promise not to be mad."

Ginny decides to just come out and say it. "I found the room where all of the pictures are." She looks up, and, seeing that Harry doesn't look mad, continues her confession, slightly more confident now. "I went into the wrong room trying to find the bathroom, and, being me, I just HAD to unlock the locked door." Bitterness creeps into her tone and Harry, still the picture of calm, takes her hand and squeezes lightly. "But even though I felt really bad, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. But then I saw the picture of us on your nightstand, and I just felt so guilty!"

Harry stops and looks at Ginny, once again looking confused.

"Why did you feel so bad Gin?" he asks, taking her other hand too.

"Because, it's entirely my fault! I shouldn't have been so mean to you! It's my fault you left Britain and came here! It's my fault Hermione cried for a week! It's my fault the rest of the family walked around moping for ages! It's my fault you have been so miserable!" By this point Ginny is crying freely, not even bothering to wipe away her tears. She already felt so awful, and confessing it all has just made her feel even worse. But at the same time, it is nice to get all those years worth of guilt off her chest.

But Harry surprises her. He leans in closer and embraces her. Ginny resists at first, not thinking she deserves it, but after a few minutes she finally gives in. She curls up in his arms and just cries. She cries out the knot of frustration, guilt and anger that has resided in her chest ever since Harry left five years previously.

After a straight hour of sobbing Ginny calms herself down. She goes to pull away but Harry keeps both hands on her shoulders. Before he moves Ginny knows exactly what he is going to do.

He leans in slowly giving Ginny the chance to pull away or move but she doesn't. Instead, she just lets him kiss her.

It's a soft kiss, one Ginny remembers well from the nights when she and Harry would say goodbye. It's slow, and gentle, and directionless. It's perfect in every way.

He pulls back, and Ginny bites her lip, looking down at the floor. He grins like an idiot and Ginny chuckles slowly. Soon both are howling with laughter, sprawled across the mattress gasping for air.

In a fit of mirth, Ginny rolls over and her forehead bumps with Harry's.

"Ow!" they both cry, dissolving once more into laughter.

They keep their foreheads together and just stare into each other's eyes. It sounds corny, but after the amount of time they spent apart, it isn't at all; to them it's just sweet.

Their relationship was always a playful one. They could talk and joke around, and when it came to the physical stuff any awkwardness could be easily laughed off.

But they were also one of the sweetest couples, everyone told them so. The little gestures showed how much they loved each other, whether it was the brushing of hands or Harry wrapping his arm around Ginny's waist to guide her through a hoard of eager reporters. When they were around people they kept the mushy stuff to a minimum (mostly to keep Ron placated), but everyone could see how much in love they were.

Ginny realized with a jolt that she really missed that. She missed knowing that someone loved her no matter what.

"Ginny, are you alright?" asked Harry, obviously noticing the change in her thoughts.

"I just realized how much I miss us." Ginny confesses. "I mean, I knew all along that I missed you but I didn't know how strong it was until now."

Harry barely gave her a chance to finish the sentence. Before Ginny knew it Harry was kissing her like never before. Ginny wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him on top of her, a more comfortable position for kissing.

Neither of them breathed for a solid ten minutes. It was one of the most intense make-out sessions either one had ever experienced.

And that was all they did. Just kissing. There was no need to go any further, especially after what had happened during the night.

It was nice to finally be with Harry again and that is how Ginny will justify what she said next to anyone who asks her.

"I love you Harry," Ginny murmurs, tucked safely into Harry's arms.

Harry stiffens and Ginny immediately starts to worry that she shouldn't have said anything.

"I love you too Gin. You have no idea how great it is to hear you say that. I was worried that you would never love me again."

"Harry. I never stopped," Ginny states matter of factly, and she rolls over in his arms to give him another kiss.


	9. Chapter 9

Ginny and Harry cuddled for awhile on the bed, whispering sweet nothings to each other. They only stopped when a silver otter patronus burst into being in the middle of the bedroom floor.

"Ron and I are going to be coming in an hour. Be ready to go," it said, disappearing silently.

Ginny and Harry both leapt out of the bed, looks of horror mirrored on each of their faces.

"I call bathroom first!" Ginny cried, and sprinted there as fast as she could.

Harry started to tidy up the bedroom. It looked as though a small cauldron had exploded! The bedside table had been knocked over and the lamp lay in pieces on the floor. He set the table upright and fixed the lamp with a _reparo, _then made the bed by hand and did a quick cleaning spell on the sheets.

At that point Harry realizes the picture of he and Ginny that he keeps in the nightstand is missing. Harry bends down to look under the bed; it might have fallen under there when the nightstand got knocked over.

"Nice arse Potter," a voice behind him says with a low whistle.

Harry springs to his feet and whirls around to face a smirking Ginny. She has a towel wrapped around her body and Harry is suddenly finding it very hard to breathe.

"Harry, can you show me how to turn on your shower please? I can't figure out the handle," she says.

"Y-yes, of course," Harry manages to stammer out, and walks into the bathroom to turn on the tap.

Harry turns a knob and waits for the water to run hot and then twists another knob the get the shower to run.

"There you go," he says, turning around to face Ginny.

"You know, Harry," she says mischievously, "Hermione will be here in less than thirty minutes, we really don't have much time…"

Harry immediately sees where Ginny is going with this and before she can finish her sentence he strips off his shorts and removes Ginny's towel. With a small giggle Ginny and Harry step into the steaming spray…

oOo

After what was probably the best shower of both of their lives Harry and Ginny get dressed and go downstairs. Both are extremely hungry and Harry starts to make a quick breakfast.

"So, Ginny," he says, "How do you like your eggs in the morning?" He gets the desired reaction from her and she blushes furiously.

Harry makes scrambled eggs and bacon with toast and pancakes and both dig in with vigour.

"Don't ever tell anyone I said this, and if you do, I will deny it, but I think this is better than any breakfast I have ever had. And that includes my mum's," Ginny declares.

Flattered, Harry grabs her empty plate and walks to the sink.

"I think I should send her an owl gloating," Harry says, "Then she would really hate me."

"Harry, why on earth do you think mum hates you?" Ginny asks, her voice sounding dangerous.

"Erm…" He is immediately at a loss for words, especially ones that will save him from the possible wrath of the red-head sitting at his kitchen table.

"Harry James Potter, answer the question," she snaps, assuming a frightening pose with her arms crossed and her hips at an angle.

"Ginny, I just meant that I left without any notice, and according to you upset everyone! Then I missed Ron and Hermione's wedding, and who knows what else…"

"The birth of a few grandchildren, and George and Percy's weddings," Ginny cuts in.

"Yes, well, my point is, after all of the trouble I've caused she has very good reason to hate me," he finishes.

"Okay, Harry, let me get one thing through your mind. No one hates you. Sure, they were pretty upset that you just skipped town with no notice, and the fact that you had me and Hermione in tears for weeks, and they were seven shades of angry once they stopped being upset, but I know for a fact now they just want to see you again," Ginny yells. It's obvious she is frustrated with him, and Harry really doesn't want to wreck whatever the pair has created or re-created in the past twelve hours.

"I'll take your word for it Gin, I trust you on this one," Harry says with a smile.

"Good." she says simply, and joins him in the cleaning of the dishes.

"So, Ginny?" Harry asks, broaching the subject carefully.

"Yes Harry?" she replies.

"What are we going to tell Ron and Hermione? I mean, Ron is pretty obtuse, he might not notice anything, but Hermione really picks up on these things."

Ginny nearly drops her plate into the sink full of dishes.

"Well Harry, I'm not sure even we know what's going on, so I don't know what to tell Hermione," she says honestly.

"Well," Harry says, coming closer to her and taking her waist in his hands, "I was thinking we could pretend that I never ran away from my problems and we could just go back to where we were."

"Mmm," she says, sliding her arms around Harry's neck, "That sounds like a good idea."

Which is why Ron and Hermione walked into the kitchen to the sight of Ginny sitting on the counter, her legs wrapped around Harry's waist while Harry snogged her senseless.

"Oi! Potter! Get off my sister!" Ron shouted at the duo.

Ginny emerges and regains her composure first.

"God Ron, why is it that you always find us like this?"

Ron blushes, obviously remembering the incident with the milk that Ginny so crassly brought up at dinner previously. He makes a pathetic attempt to stammer out something, but Harry cuts him off.

"Not my fault you don't knock, mate," he says bluntly.

"So, are you two, you know, together?" bursts out Hermione, who kept silent through this whole ordeal.

Ginny and Harry take one look at each other and goofy looks paint both of their faces.

"Yes Hermione, we are," Ginny says, wrapping her arms around Harry's waist once more.

"Well, I can't say I'm not surprised really," Hermione sighs, "After your behaviour at dinner, I figured Harry would get you sober and then kick you out of his house."

"I guess my behaviour after dinner made up for it," Ginny mumbles under her breath. Unfortunately not low enough.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN'S PANTS DID THAT MEAN?" thunders Ron. Ginny and Harry look at each other, both of their faces the very picture of horror.

"Ron, calm down," says Hermione. Unfortunately, Ron doesn't want to calm down. Instead, he stomps out of the house and apparates, looking like a petulant child.

"Erm, I'm gonna go calm him down," says Hermione. "Ginny, it might be better if you stayed away for awhile. Since you and Harry are getting along so swimmingly, maybe you could stay here?" She looks to Harry for confirmation.

He grins, letting her know everything will be just peachy.

"Okay, good. Ginny, next time please exclude details of your sex life from conversation with your brother." And with that, Hermione walks out of the door.

"Oh!" she calls over her shoulder, "I'll send a patronus when the apartment is clear and you can come get your stuff!"

Ginny turns to her boyfriend, a huge grin on her face. "That was the best thing that has happened during this entire vacation!" she declares.

"Ya, well I guess you should make innuendos around your brother more often," Harry jokes lightly.

"For sure!" she cries. "What do you want to do now? We have the whole day."

"I dunno, you have anything in mind?" Harry asks her with a raise of his left eyebrow.

"For sure," she purrs, and starts to make her way up the stairs.

Needless to say, Harry follows suit.

A/N

Milk story is a one-shot, check it out. It's called _Beginning Life With A Wish_

~summerlovin'


	10. Chapter 10

The next week passes in a blur. Ginny finds herself thinking that this has been the best vacation of her life. Admittedly, she rarely leaves the house and so doesn't get to see much, but that alone has made it a fantastic vacation for her. Harry keeps her entertained to say the least and the couple's 'daily activities' tire them both out, leaving them unable to do anything but fall asleep in each other's arms at night. It is so different from how they used to be but so similar at the same time and the love Ginny has tried to suppress for five years begins to resurface.

On the eighth day of Ginny's stay at Harry's the couple is sitting in the kitchen when a silver terrier bursts through the doorframe.

"Ginny," it says in Ron's voice, "We are leaving tomorrow evening. Pack and be ready to come back tonight by four." And it disappears.

Harry and Ginny look at each other. His face portrays the most utter devastation Ginny has ever seen on another human being.

"You have to leave?" he says in disbelief.

She nods. "But you're coming back with us anyway, so it doesn't matter."

"Who says I'm coming back, Ginny?"

Ginny stops and stares at him, not masking her rage and pain. "Well, since we're together again, I figured you would be coming home. Everyone wants to see you again Harry, you have to own up to your actions at some point!"

He gives her the saddest look she has ever seen. "I can't just leave Ginny," he says, with the air of explaining something to a small, temperamental child. "I have a job, a house; I can't just leave it all."

Ginny knows he has a valid point but she is too disappointed by Harry's declaration to control her emotions and all of her feelings start to pour out in the form of shouting and angry words.

"Why not?" she cries, the stupid tears starting to fall, angering her even more. "You said you loved me and wanted to be with me! Have you changed your mind? Because that's what it looks like! It looks like you lied to me just to get in my pants and now you're sick of me so you're leaving me!" She knows that she doesn't really make sense, and her accusations are unfounded, but Ginny is much too upset to even care about how stupid she is making herself look.

"Ginny, can I remind you that YOU are the one who seduced ME?" Harry shouts.

"That may be true," she snaps, "But you're the one who said it was fine, and you're the one who let me stay at his house, and YOU ARE THE ONE WHO SAID HE LOVED ME!"

"Ginny, I meant that, every word, every action. I meant it all. But I also meant it when I said I can't leave." Harry is starting to look just weary of the whole conversation and it hits Ginny suddenly that this is almost the exact look he had on his face right before he ran away. She takes a deep breath to calm herself down before she says anything more.

"I don't know what else to say," she sobs. "I just want to be with you! I don't want to be apart anymore!"

"How about you stay here with me?"

That shocks her. Harry won't leave Canada to come home, but he expects Ginny to drop everything and leave her whole life behind to stay with him? Is he absolutely crazy? Ginny may be impulsive but that is too far, even for her.

"Harry, are you nuts?" she screams. "Why would I leave my whole life behind me? I have a great job, and a family, and a good life, and you want me to start over in a place I barely know? You're crazy!"

Harry looks crestfallen. "Fine," he says, "If this is how it's going to be, then that's that. Can we at least spend our last few hours not arguing? Please?"

"No! I'm leaving!" Ginny shouts. She summons her possessions and makes her way to the door. Before she leaves she turns around to look at Harry. He is sitting at the table, his head in his hands, looking like the most broken man in the world. Ginny feels a stab of regret but it is soon overpowered by her blazing hot anger.

"Goodbye Harry," she whispers, allowing some of her regret to colour her tone. Then she walks out the door and down the walkway, not looking back once.

In order to give herself more time to think Ginny walks down the street before apparating back to the apartment. Her head is a swirl of angry words and negative emotions. Harry's words echo through her head and her nasty retorts follow close behind. No matter how hard she tries she cannot dispel them from her brain.

It isn't until Ginny gets back to her room at the apartment that she realizes something, speaking aloud into the empty space:

"Five years ago, Harry and I fought. Harry stormed out the door and left. He ran away from the argument, looking like a coward.

But this time, I ran away. This time I am the coward."

And in her mind, she adds on more thought:

_This time, I am the one who is never coming back._

**A/N I'm going away for a couple of days So next update will be Sunday (if I'm back) or Monday morning. Have good weekend severyone!**

**Review :)**

**~summerlovin'**


	11. Chapter 11

After Ginny left, Harry just sat at the table, his head in his hands. He couldn't stop thinking about the horrible things he had said to Ginny, and she had said to him.

"Is this what my life has come to?" he thought to himself. "Dating either the wrong people or dating the right one and screwing it up?" He sighs and stands up. He walks slowly up to the room he shared with Ginny all week and takes in the view from the doorway.

The sheets are rumpled and the top sheet is pulling away from the mattress at the top left corner. The duvet is a wrinkled mess and lying mostly on the floor. The many pillows are scattered throughout the room and a couple have burst, scattering feathers all over the floor. It either looks like a scene of intense passion or a crime scene. Now, it doesn't matter. She's not coming back. Harry sinks down onto the mattress and cries. He can't stop thinking about the past week. He and Ginny made some of the best memories of his life in the past seven days…

_Ginny and I lay on the bed. She had fallen asleep right away but I was awake. I couldn't stop staring at her. She was beautiful and she looked so happy. I stroked her hair and she rolled over to drape herself across my chest. That is how I fell asleep: with the love of my life covering me like a blanket._

_I woke up less peacefully._

_"Get up! Get up, get up, get up!" sang an obviously energetic Ginny. I rolled over and buried my head in a pillow._

_Suddenly, with a muffled 'thunk', I am hit over the head._

_"Get up, Potter!" cried Ginny, hitting me with the pillow again._

_I rolled over like I was going to slowly haul myself out of bed, but with the agility of many years of Quidditch I grab my own pillow and smack her back._

_The fight was silly. We smacked each other with the pillows and when her pillow burst, she tried to grab mine. I held on tightly and it ripped right down the middle._

_"Oh, you're gonna get it now!" I shout, and pick her up. I throw her over my shoulder and toss her onto the bed. She giggles and winds her hands through my hair._

_"You're in trouble now," I say, and start to pepper a trail of kisses down her neck…_

That had to be the best night of Harry's life. Ginny and he had acted like little kids again. Harry loved that he never had to act grown up and mature around Ginny. He could be as silly as he wanted to be and he knew she didn't care in the least…

_"Harry where are we going?" whined Ginny. My hands covered her eyes, and I guided her forward carefully, making sure she doesn't stumble and fall._

_"You'll see in a second!" I said in a ridiculously sing-song voice, knowing full well how much she hates it._

_"Potter…" she warns me. _

_"One second love, we're almost there," I soothe her, and stop a few feet from our destination._

_I lift the _muffliato_ charm from her ears, and remove my hands from her eyes. She starts at the sudden ability to hear, mostly because of the overwhelming amount of noises. There's pops and whistles and shrieks from every corner and the flashing lights overwhelm the eyes._

_"You brought me to a carnival!" shouts Ginny, as excited as a small child._

_"Yes, I thought it would be fu-" The rest of my sentence is lost as Ginny grabs my hand and drags me into the oppressive crowds. _

_We did everything. We went on every roller coaster, even the ones for little kids. We went on a hayride and rode a pony. We even played the games. I won Ginny a bear at the one with floating rubber ducks and she won a wacky hat for me at one with water guns._

_The last item of the day was the Ferris Wheel. It was nearly nine, and the sky was starting to darken. Ginny and I waited in line for a surprisingly long time and then were finally told to sit in a swinging basket. I sat sandwiched with Ginny on my left and the huge bear on my right._

_As the wheel began to turn Ginny and I went higher and higher into the air. We went up up up, higher than the city. At the very top we stopped, swinging for a moment before becoming relatively still._

_"Harry, I can see everything!" Ginny exclaimed._

_I chuckle softly as we begin to move again. _

_We go around a few more times. After about five I handed the carnie more tickets so we could keep going. The sky continued to get darker, and soon, when we stop at the very top, there is no light other than that of the carnival and the city._

_On our eighth time around we are stopped at the top and we stay there. Suddenly, bright lights surround us, popping and booming._

_"Fireworks!" screams Ginny._

_And it is. The final show of the night, the fireworks, has started._

_We stay in place until the last of the fireworks have finished and then we are slowly lowered to the ground._

_"Harry, the was amazing," Ginny says, wrapping her arms around my waist._

_"Mmm," I agree, kissing the top of her head lightly as we walk towards the parking lot…_

Harry continues to sob into his hands. Ginny is gone and he is left alone once more, with nothing but the memories to haunt his days and nights. He will miss her. He'll miss her smile, her hair, her flowery scent. He'll miss the way she teased him. He'll miss her laughter lighting up his home and filling up the rooms for the first time in all the years Harry has lived there.

He'll miss the way she ran her fingers through his hair. He'll miss the way she draped herself over his chest when she slept. He'll miss how she kissed him good morning. He'll miss how she kissed him goodnight. He'll miss every single second they spent together.

He'll miss her.

Harry soon finds himself wishing it didn't have to be this way. He wishes that he would never be parted from her. He wishes that they could be together forever.

"I wish my life was an eighties movie," Harry mutters to himself.

After a few minutes of silent contemplation Harry says, "I wish that I could stop her, tell her I love her, and tell her I want to be with her."

And suddenly, he sees everything very clearly.

"Ginny is all I want. And I am letting her go without a fight."

The tears continue to run down Harry's face as he walks to his room, and unlocks the only locked door in the entire house...


	12. Chapter 12

It was the day of the three Weasley's departure. Ron and Hermione were in their bedroom. It was strangely silent and every time Ginny walked past the door she tried to figure out if they had cast _muffliato _on it. After a solid hour of silence she figured they had and decided to stop listening just in case the charm broke and she heard what she suspected was going on behind the door.

Ginny packed her bags slowly, trying to take as much time as possible in the hopes that the phone will ring and it will be Harry calling.

Unfortunately, so such call comes in the two hours she takes to pack and re-pack her suitcases.

After two hours and no phone call, Ginny charms her bags to be feather light and carries them out to the entrance hall of the apartment. Soon after Ron and Hermione walk out of their room looking extremely happy and confirming Ginny's suspicions with their sidelong looks and Hermione's occasional giggle.

"Ready to go Gin?" asks Ron, calling her by Harry's pet name and making her wince outwardly.

"Ya, just a second. I have to go… double check my room," she manages to choke out, and runs back into the apartment.

Ginny sinks down onto the bed, and buries her head in her hands. Everything seems to remind her of Harry right now. People have been calling her Gin since her fifth year, when Harry came up with the pet-name. But somehow, now, it just doesn't seem right to Ginny for anyone else to call her by his name. Ginny refuses to let any of her tears fall; she is done crying over boys, especially Harry.

"There's no use crying over something I will never have," she whispers resolutely.

Or so she tells herself anyway.

Ginny regains her composure and walks back to the door.

"Got everything Gin?" asks Ron again, looking slightly worried this time.

"It's Ginevra," she snaps, grabbing her bags and walking downstairs to the waiting taxi.

oOo

After the extremely long flight the trio finally lands in the London airport. Ron is shaking from the flight: he says the only ways to travel are by Floo, broom, or apparition.

The landing is smooth and they pass through customs quickly. Getting all of their baggage takes a little longer. Hermione wouldn't let Ron and Ginny use an undetectable-extension charm on their bags so they have to wait for two bags apiece. What she doesn't know is that Ginny managed to stuff five bags worth of stuff and a giant teddy bear into her suitcase…

Once they have finally gotten their bags and have woven through the crowds, Ron, Hermione and Ginny burst into the dank grey light of the British streets. It has been raining and the wheels of Ginny's suitcase splash water against Hermione's legs as Ginny walks towards the nearest taxi. They all climb in and Hermione tells the driver, "Ottery St. Catchpole, please."

The drive passes in near silence. Ron and Hermione are doing that annoying telepathic conversation thing they do where they stare deeply into each others' eyes, and occasionally make a facial expression. It's irritating to her on the most normal of days but todayespecially it just rubs Ginny the wrong way. She spends the entire trip home staring moodily out of the window at the drizzling sky and the damp landscape.

The taxi reaches the village within an hour and the three friends are soon trekking up the hills towards the Burrow. Luckily, once they are out of sight of anyone in the village and past all of the Muggle houses, Hermione lets them use magic and they charm their suitcases to float along beside their owners silently, drifting slightly in the breeze. She also casts impervious charms on all three of them so that they don't get completely soaked.

As the trio crests the tallest hill The Burrow began to take form in front of them. First the top; the attic where the ghoul lives. Then Ron's window becomes visible, the loud Chudley Cannons bedspread from his youth visible even from this distance. Soon Ginny can see her bedroom window, and then the picture window in the kitchen. Mum is bustling around making a welcome feast. Smoke curls out of the chimney and the scene is so homey it makes Ginny's heart ache.

"Mum, we're home!" calls out Ron as everyone walks through the door.

"Oh! How was it? Did you have to work much? Did you get to see anything? Was it a nice enough honeymoon?" Molly starts questioning right away.

Suddenly, Ginny just can't stand it anymore and runs from the kitchen. She pounds up the stairs to her room and puts the strongest locking charm she can possibly cast on the door. Ginny throws herself onto the bed and buries her head in the mountain of pillows. There are no tears, only a strong pain in her chest. It's either her heart breaking or her lungs collapsing. Maybe it's both. Ginny rolls over and stares up at her ceiling, the tiny glow-in-the-dark stars that move like the night sky twinkling happily down at her, the complete opposite of Ginny's mood. She stares and stares, even when her mother, Ron, and Hermione bang on the flimsy door. Ginny casts charms so she can't hear them, the only sign that she is not alone in the house being when the suitcases suddenly appear with a small _pop _in the middle of her bedroom.

Ginny _accio_s the bear from one of the cases and clutches it to her chest as she continues to stare up at the ceiling, the stars reminding her of her childhood, when things seemed simple and there was no such thing as heartbreak. She doesn't move, even when the sky darkens. Not even when her stomach starts to growl from lack of food. Ginny eventually falls asleep in the same position as the sky starts to turn the bruised purple of dawn.

This is how she stays for the next week.


	13. Chapter 13

For an entire week Ginny barely moves. She lies in bed all day, alternatively staring at the ceiling and burying her tear-stained face in her pillows. The door stays sealed against even Hermione's attempts to open it. Molly magics food up into the bedroom but it is all ignored. Ginny only comes out of her room in the wee hours of the morning to go to the loo and shower, reasoning that just because she's a mess internally doesn't mean she can become one of those disgusting, unwashed recluses.

After seven full days of being cut off from the world Molly sends a patronus up into Ginny's room.

"Ginny, there is someone here to see you," it says. "Come downstairs please."

Ginny knows this is just a ploy to get her out of her room so she ignores the summons and stays put.

After an hour passes, Hermione sends her silver otter up and says, "Seriously, Ginny, come downstairs. Someone needs to talk to you."

She is silently ignored too.

"I'm not a total idiot," Ginny thinks to herself. "I know they only want me to come down so that they can try to work out of me what's wrong. Or try to get me to snap out of it. I assume Hermione and Ron know what is really wrong with me, or more likely that Hermione put together the pieces and filled Ronald in. I can't be sure if they have told mum or not. I really hope they haven't, or if they have they kept some details to themselves, namely the drunken escapades. I'm glad they at least stopped calling me by that ridiculous nick-name." Ginny stares off into space, letting all of her thoughts, suspicions and pain flood her mind.

Near dusk, Ron sends his terrier patronus into Ginny' room. His simply says, "Ginny, I'm coming upstairs. Please unlock your door, I need your advice." He sounds really stressed and, even though she wants to ignore the world, curiosity infiltrates her mind and Ginny wonders what has happened to effect her brother so.

"Surely this can't have anything to do with mum or Hermione asking me to come downstairs, can it?" Ginny asks herself. Since he has always been her favourite brother, and the one who Ginny has always been closest too, she knows he needs her help and so decides to relent and let him come in.

Ginny undoes all of the charms from her door so that Ron can enter the disgusting mess that was once a neat and tidy room. She hears him trudge up the stairs and he knocks lightly on the doorframe.

"Can I come in?" he asks.

"'Course, come on in, Ron," Ginny says, her voice cracking from lack of use.

Ron opens the door slowly, taking in the scene of destruction that once was a bedroom. He steps in and closes the door gently behind him.

"Ron, what's wrong?" Ginny asks softly. He has a look on his face that is a cross between terrified and just plain sad. He looks about five seconds away from bursting into tears.

"Ginny, I'm so scared," he whispers brokenly.

"Ron, tell me what's wrong," she urges.

He paces back and forth in the small confines of Ginny's room; three steps one way, turn, three steps the other way, turn, repeat.

"If he keeps this up, he's going to wear a hole in the floor," Ginny mutters under her breath.

"It's just… I don't know… I can't…" he stammers for a second, trying to find the right words, but he can't seem to spit it out.

"Ron. What happened?" Ginny asks firmly, reaching out to him and taking his hand.

"I know you have your own problems, but I don't know who else to go to," he almost sobs, collapsing heavily onto the mattress beside his sister. Ginny waits patiently for a second while he tries to compose himself, and then he spits out the most shocking news Ginny has ever heard.

"Hermione's pregnant," he states baldly, barely any emotion in his tone.

"Oh, Ron! That's great!" she gushes, before remembering that this is why he is upset. "Wait, why are you upset about this?"

"Because Ginny! I'm going to be a horrible father! I can't even keep my sister from being hurt, how am I going to do it with my child?"

Ginny can see a whole new side of Ron from this outburst. "He thinks that my being locked away from the world is his fault," she wonders to herself. "He is blaming my sadness on himself, and that isn't right."

Ron," she says the realization of how awful she has made her family feel dawning on her, "None of this is your fault, understood? You couldn't have stopped it from happening. In fact, if you had tried it probably would have been worse because I would have gone against you even more than I did."

Ron looks up at his favourite sibling, a haunted look in his eyes. "Ginny, I should have done something. Talked to Harry, or you. I should never have taken us all to Canada, then you wouldn't have seen him. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did when we came to pick you up that morning. If I hadn't maybe you would have stayed with us at the apartment. I made so many bad choices, or didn't make any at all, and now look at you! You're broken! How will I be able to keep my child happy and safe if I can't keep anyone else happy and safe? I don't even know if Hermione is happy about this. It was an accident! We agreed we weren't ready, but then…" He trails off with a cry of anguish.

All of his words are spinning through Ginny's mind, and she can barely speak. He blames himself for everything. And then his terror over his future child. It is all so overwhelming to her. Ron has always been her rock and now he is crumbling into gravel right before her eyes.

"Ron, come on," she says. She hauls him to his feet, and guides him up the stairs to his childhood room. She wonders for a second why he and Hermione haven't gone back to their flat but it is quickly erased when the two Weasleys reach the landing. Here he starts to cry in earnest and Ginny wonders why he is getting more and more upset. Soon she realizes why.

The room is empty.

Hermione is nowhere to be found. It hits Ginny that Ron's being upset might have less to do with Hermione dropping this huge piece of news on him and more to do with her leaving him than anything else. Although, considering his fears, Ginny realizes his reaction may have been less than helpful to a most-likely distraught Hermione.

Ginny settles Ron onto his mattress, and summons a vial of sleeping potion from the cupboard in the bathroom. She tips the vial down his throat, and soon he is sleeping semi-peacefully.

Ginny's head spins from the entire encounter. She decides to take a walk outside, in the hopes that the night air will clear her mind. It's pleasantly warm out so she doesn't bother to stop by her room to get a sweater and walks outside in just a tank top and some shorts that she usually sleeps in.

The night is soundless to the anguished red-head. Her head is too full of everything she heard this night to notice anything else. As Ginny walks she makes her way towards the pond, shining silver in the moonlight, and finally settles down on the wooden bench that Bill and Charlie built during their Hogwarts days. She stares at the shimmering reflection of the moon and mulls everything over in her full to bursting head.

She doesn't notice the soft footsteps walking towards her.

"Gin?" a voice from behind her calls out softly.

Ginny knows that voice. It's like liquid gold, and it reminds her of happiness. She would recognize it anywhere. Heck, she would probably hear this voice even if she was deaf!

"Harry?" she whispers, turning around to see a tall silhouette, illuminated by the silver light behind her.

"It's really me Gin," he says.

A/N: I know there will be people who say "But Hermione and Ron's kids are younger than Harry and Ginny's oldest!" There is a point to this, and it's going to lead into my next multi-chapter fic, _**Struggling, **_so bear with me. I can assure you though, I am just filling in possibilities that could have happened in nineteen years, and the end result of my stories will be the same as the prologue in Deathly Hallows.

~summerlovin'


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Ginny's POV

"Harry?" I whisper, turning around to see a tall silhouette, illuminated by the silver light behind me.

"It's really me Gin," he says.

I stand up in a trance, literally feeling like I am being drawn towards him. I walk slowly towards him, eyes fixated on his, everything feeling as though it has an air of surrealism to it.

I reach him and stare up at him, his eyes shining as they look down at me. I reach up towards his cheek…

And slap him with all my might.

The sound reverberates throughout the hills, and Harry recoils from my hand.

"Ow! Ginny! What was that for?" he cries out.

"For everything!" I shout. I am sure I'm being irrational, but right now I have a million emotions clouding my head and I am not quite sure which ones are supposed to be directed at Harry.

"Okay, so maybe I do deserve that. A little bit," Harry admits.

"You think?" I yell, quieting down slightly from before but still louder than I really need to be. Luckily, no lights are turned on in the house.

"Listen, Ginny, can I just talk to you? Please? Without being slapped again?" he pleads.

I cross my arms, not saying anything, allowing Harry to fill the silence as he desires.

"Ginny, I came back. I didn't just let everything go like I did last time."

"Why did it take so long?" I ask.

"I wasn't lying when I said I couldn't just drop everything and leave," he explains. "I had to get my stuff in order. My boss wasn't too pleased when I told him I was leaving with only two days notice. And I had to sell the house dirt cheap just to get it sold. But I had to. I realized after you walked out the door, I couldn't just let you go. I needed to be with you. So I booked a ticket, sold the house, quit my job, and flew half-way around the world to be with you. Please tell me I didn't do it for nothing." His voice quiets to a whisper, and he moves towards me, putting his hands on my waist and drawing me closer.

I lean into him, and look back up into his eyes, trying to memorize how his features look in the moonlight.

"You came back? For me?" I ask breathlessly.

"I did," he says. "I came back for you. Last time, I left, and you found me. It was my turn to come for you. "And he leans down and kisses me.

Soon enough I am lost in his kiss. Our tongues dance together as we meld into one being.

It sure sounds clichéd, the typical kiss in the moonlight, the reuniting couple, realizing they can't live without each other, blahblahblah….. And sure, to an outsider it was the biggest cliché, something that only happens in chick-flicks. But to us, it was perfect. It was exactly what we needed. We needed to realize that we couldn't be apart any more. And as we kissed in the middle of the night, we realized everything we needed to and more.

We stayed outside until dawn. Harry and I sat down on the shore of the pond, and he held me in his arms until the sun broke through the night haze and blazed over the tops of the surrounding hills. Neither of us slept, and neither of us broke the silence that had fallen over us like a blanket. It was enough for both of us to just know that the other was there and wasn't going to leave.

Harry and I had both started to drift off, still clutching each other close, when the spell that had been cast over us was broken by Ron sticking his head other the window and yelling, "Oi! You two! Get inside! Mum made breakfast!" at us in the loudest voice he possessed.

We both started and then Harry stretched and stood up, offering me his hand and then yanking me up onto my feet. I yawned hugely and leaned against Harry as we walked into the kitchen.

Mum was putting the last dish of food on the table when we walked in.

"There you two are," she tutted. "Breakfast is ready, just grab a seat while I call the others."

Harry and I took seats next to each other in front of the large window where Errol and the other owls come and go from. Ron soon walked into the kitchen (without Hermione) and took a seat opposite us. Soon every seat at the table was filled, although it was much less crowded than it used to be. Today, only George, Dad, Mum, and Percy and his wife, Audrey, were joining us.

Everyone dug into the meal with the usual gusto that accompanied mum`s cooking. I tried to eat, but was soon choking on my toast.

Harry was playing footsie with me under the table.


	15. Chapter 15

**A few months later**

Harry and Ginny walked arm in arm down the street. They paused outside of a muggle clothing store and Ginny appeared to be laughing at Harry while he stood by with perplexed look on his face. They soon moved on and continued to walk down the street.

After a few minutes of easy strolling, the couple stopped at a quaint little café where they sat down at a wrought iron table that viewed the cobblestone street.

"Harry, I'm glad you came back," Ginny stated. Harry, who had been engrossed in the menu looked up at her and smiled.

"I'm glad I came back too Gin."

The couple viewed their menus in comfortable silence, and gave the waitress their orders. They broke into flirtatious chatter and maintained their conversation throughout the meal.

Once they were finished, Harry paid, and then asked Ginny, "You wanna walk?" Ginny nodded and the pair turned down a worn path that led to a secluded park with towering trees and wrought iron benches

They sat down on a bench near a patch of pink and white lilies and Ginny leaned her head on Harry's shoulder.

"Ginny? Can I tell you something?" Harry asked cautiously. Ginny was immediately put on her guard, but she nodded and turned to face him.

"Ginny, five years ago, when you saw me coming out of the jewellery store and thought I was cheating on you, that wasn't true, no matter what the papers said."

Ginny laughed loudly. "I know that Harry! I'm not totally stupid!"

"Wait, let me finish. See, I was there because of this." Harry knelt down and grabbed a box out of his pocket. "Ginny, five years ago I wanted to marry you, something that hasn't changed at all. I was wondering if you would please let me love you forever, and do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Ginny was speechless, but she managed to jerk her head in a nod of assent. Harry slipped a delicate diamond onto her finger, and then pounced on her, giving her one of the most passionate kisses she had ever received.

"Harry?" asked Ginny a little while later, as she buttoned her shirt and Harry hopped into his pants, "I need to tell you something."

Harry zipped and then turned towards her. "What is it Ginny?"

"Harry, we have to get married soon," said Ginny, biting her lip.

"Why Gin?" asked a confused Harry.

"Harry, I'm almost one month pregnant."

With a whoop, Harry lifted Ginny off her feet and swung her around. He set her on the ground again, and moved his hand down to her stomach.

"Ginny, we're going to be a real family!" Harry cried, tears of joy pouring down his face. "A real family!" And with another whoop he lifted her off her feet and kissed her into oblivion.

oOo

Ginny and Harry apparated home to the Burrow and walked into the kitchen where the rest of the family was gathered around the table.

"Did you do it?" shouted Ron as they came in the door.

Both Harry and Ginny looked at each other. How did he know what they had done in the forest? Then it occurred to them both that he meant proposed.

"Yes!" shouted Ginny, and immediately the women in the kitchen rushed to her to gush over the ring.

Until that moment, Ginny hadn't actually looked too closely at the diamond Harry had slipped onto her finger. Now though she had a chance to examine it closely.

It was a silver ring with a single diamond in the center. Around this diamond was a ring of smaller diamonds alternating with emeralds the colour of Harry's eyes. It was absolutely gorgeous, without being too huge or gaudy. Ginny loved it.

After everyone was done congratulating the couple, Harry went back home to his flat and Ginny went upstairs to her room. Both sat down on their respective beds and looked outside at the darkening sky, reminiscing over the events of the day.

Soon enough it hit them both: They were getting married! They lay down on their beds and stared up at the ceiling, mulling the fantastic concept over in their minds.

Ginny laid her hand over her stomach. She wasn't showing yet, but would be soon enough. And in a short amount of time, her, Harry, and little baby would be a family.

Harry thought back to when Ginny had said yes. It had made him happier than he ever knew he could be. Now he truly understood how those men and women felt in novels and cheesy movies. And suddenly, it wasn't so cheesy and cliché any more.

Both Harry and Ginny fell asleep that night with huge smiles on their faces, looking forwards to the future.


	16. Chapter 16

Epilogue

Less than two weeks later, the fateful words were said:

"I do."

Harry smiled down at Ginny as the minister pronounced them husband and wife, and leaned down to give her a tender kiss. Red-faced, the couple turned towards their seated guests, and smiled at them all, hands clasped.

"Congrats mate!" yelled Ron from his seat in the front row. A pale Hermione clapped and nodded too, a few tears shining on her face. Suddenly, her face turned a pale green colour, and she stood up quickly and ran towards the Burrow, Ron chasing after her.

Harry and Ginny smiled at each other and laughed. Molly and Arthur exchanged knowing grins; even though very few people knew about Hermione's pregnancy, Molly and Arthur were experienced enough in the area to know the signs.

The newly married couple stepped down from the platform they stood on during the ceremony, and, with a wave of a wand, music started to play from invisible speakers.

"May I have this dance Mrs. Potter?" Harry asked his wife.

"Of course, but after I must go find my husband, he wouldn't be too happy if he knew I was dancing with another man," giggle Ginny flirtatiously.

Harry laughed and pulled her into his arms. She rested her head on his chest as they swayed to the music.

"So Harry, when do you think we should tell Mum and Dad?" Ginny asked quietly.

Harry paled. "Let's wait for a few weeks," he said cautiously, "I don't see any reason to wreck this day for them."

Both of them looked over towards Molly and Arthur. They were standing on the edge of the crowd, dancing together, looking very much still in love, and extremely happy.

"Deal." Ginny agreed, and they settled in for the next song…

oOo

"Welcome home Gin," said Harry, and he removed the blindfold from his wife's eyes.

Ginny gasped, the house was marvellous. Being the great Harry Potter obviously had some perks! The house was an old Victorian-style home with three floors. Big shutters flanked each of the windows, of which dozens dotted the walls.

"Harry, it's wonderful!" gasped Ginny.

"Only the best for you, _Mrs. Potter," _he whispered, putting special emphasis on the last two words, and nibbling at Ginny's neck.

"It's going to take a little while to get used to that," sighed Ginny, turning around to face her husband, "But I definitely like the sound of it."

"Me too," agreed Harry, as he scooped her up and carried her across the threshold.

Not much exploring of the house was done that night, although both became very familiar with certain pieces of furniture in the sitting room…

oOo

Two months later, Harry and Ginny walked into the Burrow, and declared they had an announcement to make.

"Harry and I are having a baby!"Ginny declared to the gathered crowd.

All of the women rushed forward to congratulate Ginny, while the men reached over and slapped Harry on the back.

"You'll be a great dad mate," said Ron, who was still worried over his own potential fatherhood.

"Thanks Ron, so will you," declared Harry. Ron shook his head in disagreement, but was soon distracted by Hermione sprinting out of the kitchen, hand over her mouth.

"Obviously her morning sickness hasn't let up yet," chuckled Arthur. "Just wait Harry; that will very soon be Ginny. You'll get very good at holding her hair back, I'll tell you that!"

Harry paled and swallowed nervously…

oOo

"Harry," moaned a voice from the back bathroom.

Harry had just gotten home to hear the sounds of his wife moaning. The morning sickness had kicked in about a week after Arthur's declaration, and indeed Harry was getting very good at holding Ginny's hair back. He was also becoming very accomplished at making weird foods that Ginny had started to crave, and at comforting her when she suddenly burst into tears for no reason. And he couldn't say he minded when the hormones made her suddenly want him right there, in whichever room they were sitting in, on whichever piece of furniture happened to be closest (or the carpet, which had only happened once; the rug-burn was definitely not worth it).

"Coming Gin," called Harry as he walked to the bathroom. He knelt down beside Ginny and pulled back her beautiful red hair as she vomited.

"Sorry you had to see that," she said when she was finished, wiping her mouth on the hand towel.

"I'm getting used to it, love," Harry replied with a smile as she rinsed out her mouth with minty Listerine.

"And that's why I love you so much," Ginny said after she had spit, sauntering forward and wrapping her hands around Harry. She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a searing kiss that melted him into a puddle on the floor.

"Oh, it's one of _those _days," thought Harry as she tugged him by the hand up the stairs…

oOo

Eight months later, James Sirius Potter was born. Luckily, he was nearly two weeks late, so to everyone else it appeared as if he was just early. He was a small but healthy baby, and his parents absolutely adored him, although they didn't spoil him as much as him grandmother did…


	17. Chapter 17

**I would just like to put a little author's note at the end of this story.**

**Shooting Star Starts is my baby. It was the first fanfic I ever wrote, as well as being my first multi-chaptered fic. I absolutely adore this story because it was my first one and because everyone was so kind with their lovely reviews and encouragement.**

**I originally published this story then took it down to do some major revisions. That revising process fizzled out and over the course of nearly two years I didn't post a single thing. It was permanently stuck on chapter 3.**

**Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through the story's hiatus as well as the hiatus with the rest of my fanfiction and fictionpress accounts. Hopefully it doesn't happen again. My life has thankfully stopped falling apart and is knitting itself back together (somewhat).**

**I want to mention my proudest moment with this fic, which was on April 22, 2013 when I got over 1000 hits. I honestly cried, I was so amazed and shocked and GRATEFUL! And I was ecstatic in April when, after only a week and a half, it hit 2000 views. You guys rock! **All of you readers, new and old, are utterly amazing and I don't think I would be on fanfiction without you****

**So for now, goodbye. I'm writing a Blaise/Ginny fic right now. I have several one-shots too, which will probably go up first. I also have a poll up where you can vote for which pairing you would like for me to write about next. Give me a few days before you start demanding new stuff ;)**

**Until then, read some of my old stuff, and leave a review. **

**Thank you all yet again, I simply cannot say it enough.**

**~summerlovin'**


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